It may be the first Williams digital piano to achieve more widespread appeal. The Williams Legato 88-key digital piano is not a premium grade instrument. However, it does offer a great deal for a relatively modest price.
A Brief Overview
This is the latest updated version of the well regarded Legato digital piano. The Legato III has a fully weighted 88-key Williams keyboard. This is at an entry level price where you would expect to find a portable 61-key keyboard. This is a well rounded basic stage piano. You can also use it as a MIDI controller keyboard for other instruments in your home studio. The keys are semi-weighted, velocity sensitive and full sized for proper spacing. This makes the Legato III a great digital piano for beginners and more advanced players too.
The Sound Quality
It’s unreasonable to expect an authentic concert grand sound in a digital piano at this price. However, the Legato is certainly a step up from the entry level Williams Allegro III digital piano. The Legato III sounds richer and warmer than you might expect. But, there is a little loss in sound quality in the lower and upper ends of the range. These areas have do have some digital artifacts. An experienced ear may notice the sound a little thin or brittle. The lower notes lack a little depth due to the in-built speaker. However, running this digital piano through an audio interface, keyboard amplifier, or PA system yields better results.
Generally speaking, the Legato III does offer usable piano sounds in the mid range. It offers decent bass tones if you ignore the onboard speakers. A full range of MIDI sounds is also available. Although they are basic, they do give the player some other tones to play with. The sound quality is fine for a beginner. However, a more advanced player would be unlikely to use the Williams Legato III sounds in a live performance.
Playability and Expression
The Legato III is not as expressive as the Williams Rhapsody II. This is not surprising given the form factor and the price difference. However, the semi-weighted keys are as good as any soft keyboard that you will find in digital pianos manufactured by larger companies. The player can play notes with a decent level of expression. However, the keyboard action is not up to the standard of a hammer action style keyboard. The playing action is not graded. So, the player should expect the keys to respond in exactly the same way, no matter the position on the keyboard. This is unnatural compared to an authentic piano. But, it’s not unusual for a digital piano keyboard at this price.
The 88 keys are full sized, but they are plastic, and they feel cheap when playing. For this reason, it’s clear that Williams has made this digital piano for new players. It can also fulfil a need for a portable backup instrument for practice and as a live MIDI controller.
The Williams Legato III in Detail
The Williams Legato III has semi-weighted full sized velocity sensitive keys with aftertouch. There are five built-in sounds to choose from; they are piano, electric piano, bass, organ, and synthesizer. Two tones can be layered together to create new sounds. A keyboard split can be designated at any note to play two sounds at the same time.
The Legato III has a maximum polyphony of 32 notes, making it ideal for controlling a wide variety of software instruments. Williams has included five preset demo songs to play along with when you’re getting to know the instrument. There are two effects included are a basic chorus and reverb, and they cannot be adjusted.
The Legato III has plenty of connectivity options to further expand the flexibility of the instrument. There are standard five pin MIDI in and out jacks, a USB port, a sustain pedal input, and a headphone output. The instrument is 50” wide, 3.5” high and 11” deep, and it weighs in at 19 lbs. The Legato III is powered by 6 D cell batteries or a power adapter that can be purchased separately. Most standard sustain pedals can be used with this instrument. However, no pedal is included with the Legato III at this time.
The Williams Legato III Features
As an entry level or budget digital piano, it would be unreasonable to expect a host of useful features. Many keyboard manufacturers offer instruments at this pricepoint that may offer more features. However, they lack the larger keyboard and full sized keys. It is possible to enhance the basic sound palette of the Legato III with the chorus and reverb. But, you cannot edit these effects in clever ways to create bigger sounds. However, the Legato III does have a USB input, and a future software update may add more functionality later.
The main drawback to the Legato III is the lack of any kind of recording feature. This is very useful for new players to review their practice sessions. You can evaluate where theneed for improvement in playing skills. This is a fairly standard feature on many home keyboards at this price. Again, those instruments lack other features that the Legato III has. The Legato III has no display, this digital piano has one knob per function, and there is no visual feedback. On the other hand, the interface is clean and simple, and it’s easy to understand everything that’s going on.
Where the Williams Legato III really shines is the way that the 88-key keyboard is setup for playing. Many instrument manufacturers simply ignore aftertouch at even more expensive prices, and it’s very nice to see it included here. Having aftertouch on a budget keyboard is virtually unheard of, and this is a stand-out feature. The velocity sensitive response is also very good on any keyboard at this price, and even an advanced player will appreciate it. When you consider aftertouch and velocity sensitivity in a wider context, it’s easy to imagine the Legato III in a live setting. This is a portable instrument at only 19 lbs, and if you really need a controller with 88 full sized keys and these playing features, this is the instrument to buy.
Pros
- The Williams Legato III offers a lot of playability in a portable package.
- This digital piano has aftertouch and excellent velocity sensitive playing at a very affordable price.
- There are plenty of connections to make this a good controller for other MIDI instruments.
- This would be an excellent backup instrument for a live player.
- The five included instruments are basic but good enough for beginners.
Cons
- The keys feel cheap and plastic.
- The 32 note polyphony is a drawback. Advanced players will notice notes dropping out in busier compositions when using built-in sounds.
- The Legato III is not a durable instrument, and traveling with it would require a good road case or padded gig bag.
- There is no recording feature.
- You cannot edit the two included effects.
In Conclusion
The Williams Legato III is a budget or entry level digital piano. It offers a very basic feature set that may deter some buyers. If the price is important, it does offer some features that are very hard to find at under $300. The addition of aftertouch and the velocity sensitivity are very welcome at this price. The full sized 88 keys may feel cheap. However, they do give a new or intermediate players more playing options. This makes the Legato III a good choice for a music class. It also makes a good a portable practice instrument with a carrying case.
If you want a basic home keyboard with up to 61-keys, lot’s of sounds, and a recording feature, this is not for you. But, if you want to get a feel of playing a more expensive digital piano, it would be an excellent introduction. Despite the cheaper feel to the keys, it is possible to truly express yourself with this instrument.
The five sounds are fairly usable, but in reality, most players will grow out of them in short order. But, thanks to the connectivity, the Legato III can still be useful as a good MIDI controller for a dedicated piano sound module or VSTi piano based instruments. This increases the value further, and the player can defer an upgrade to a more expensive digital piano for a while. The Legato III fills a unique niche in the market, and many people are sure to appreciate its unique feature set at an affordable price.